You’ve really been immersed in the off-road world for a long time now. What jobs did you have before you started C4?

I worked at various places before and during the start of C4. I was employed at a company that built steel hand railings, stairs, beams and columns for residential and commercial applications for about 5 years. I also had jobs at a couple other shops that fabricated a variety of items anywhere from custom motorcycle frames and parts, stainless steel sinks and counter tops to complete service bodies for fleet trucks. I also worked at a semi truck repair shop for a short period doing a variety of welding repairs and other work on tractor/trailers.

What was your mission for C4 when you first started, and is it still the same?

Originally my mission was to provide enough income for myself to survive while doing the work I love, for myself rather than for someone else. That mission has definitely changed. While working for myself on my own terms hasn't changed, basically everything else has. I never expected myself to be the owner of a quickly growing manufacturing company so the mission has become making sure that C4 never fails to deliver the highest quality products on time while providing the customer with a gratifying feeling of "custom" they can add to their vehicle. Production manufacturing is much different than the custom fabrication world C4 started out in and we don't ever want to become that big box store type company which has no true sense of culture and value. I believe C4 can avoid that by continuing to uphold our mission to provide the off-road community the highest quality products that look just as good as they perform.

C4 bumpers are definitely a high quality product that have a distinct sleek look. Was there a learning curve designing bumpers for rock crawling compared to overland bumpers?

There was definitely a huge learning curve! However, I had been slowly making the transition into more "Overland" style bumpers without even realizing it by doing a lot more work with sheet metal instead of making all my bumpers from round tubing. I had made quite a variety of plate steel type bumpers for full size trucks in the past and as my customer base continued to expand, I started to get some Jeep owners and Toyota owners who wanted to start adding tire carriers and swing gates to their custom bumpers I was making. As I completed these custom bumpers with tire carriers and other accessories I started to find significant ways to improve the quality and function of swing gates, all while honing my skills on making more complex plate steel type bumpers. Through social media and other outlets I became aware of the growing need for these types of products for Toyota's and that is when C4 started getting into more production work for Toyota's rather than custom fabrication for all types of vehicles. 

You definitely found a need for a product and met that need with a badass product. On the business side of things, did you struggle in any specific department when you started out? 

I believe I struggled in every department other than the actual concept, design, creation and fabrication of the things I was making. I had a strong suit for understanding what my customers wanted and I was clear and concise with communicating to them what my abilities were and what their expectations for the finished product should be. That helped tremendously in the overall satisfaction of my customers; However, I was not good with bookkeeping, marketing, website, social media, accounting and really just everything else it takes to run a business correctly. What I did have was a drive to be resourceful and figure things out on my own to ensure that I could continue to do what I love without any major failures.I spent time soaking up as much information from other business owners, Entrepreneurs and successful people as I could. What I came to find is that you don't have to be good at everything within your business and you don't have to know how to do it all, you just need to be resourceful enough to find others you can bring into your organization to do the things you don't excel at. Why try to take on every roll within the company just to be stretched thin and not be able to do any one of them to the best of your ability?

What advice do you have for young entrepeneurs?

I'm not big on giving advice because I have realized that its all just a learning experience and you have to take what you've learned and apply it in the best way that fits your life and your goals. Sure I can give the typical response that many give "work hard and eventually it will pay off", but I think that's terrible advice, no one knows if it will actually pay off. Many people spend years working hard just to end up losing it all and these days there are so many ways to create a business or career for yourself that I think most advice really just doesn't apply anymore. If I have any advice to give at all I would tell you to refer to the last two sentences of my response to the question above. Along with that, just remember why you are doing what you are doing! Don't lose sight of the ultimate goal you have set out to accomplish through business ownership. Of course I can't tell you what that goal is, so I suggest you define that for yourself as soon as possible.

Charlie Rupp,Calebs Father

Caleb has always had an eye for design and he’s always been very meticulous and particular. It’s just the way he’s always been. He’s very aware of his surroundings and watches what goes on and that’s how he learns. The growth he has made with what he is doing was purely on his own, what I have done to round his knowledge and skills was little to none because he has always kept to himself and just does things on his own. He has a natural knack at welding and honestly, he hated working in the shop and wrenching! The trucks we wrenched on were dirty, rusty, and greasy. Caleb is a bit of a neat freak, so it makes sense that he ended up with new steel and fabricating custom work. 

Financially speaking, he’s awfully generous as a boss, and he’s always been that way even when he was very young. Now that his company has done so well, he can spend it on things he obviously doesn’t need. But it’s because of his history that he’s able to be where he’s at. He knows what it’s like to scrape to get by. He gathered a long time ago, “I will not drive crappy cars, I will not be broke.” Those are probably subliminal things he has learned from his mother and I. I can never remember when he has come to me and been like “Dad, what do you think I should do about this?” He just does it. A young man at his age to have accomplished what he has is crazy, especially since he did it all by himself. His mother and I are incredibly proud of him and he still surprises us quite often. We were definitely blessed and it’s been an honor being his father and watching him grow. 

Tyler Conrad, Production Manager at C4

I’d have to say my favorite thing working for Caleb has been always being able to approach him like a friend, with any problem or concern (work or personal). He also handles confrontation really well, which is something I hope I can still learn from him soon. When I first came to C4 to check out the place I was immediately drawn to how relatable and approachable Caleb was. The first space was super small and tight, but it was a very clean and friendly environment, it almost had that “working with some buddies in the garage” feel to it. It’s crazy to think about C4 back then, to now our steel supplier is flying us out on a private jet for being one of their biggest paying customers. 

All in all, It’s been a good experience for me to watch him grow from this guy who is working his ass off to run his company, to now him being able to take a step back and let people like Brian, and myself take on some of the larger responsibilities in the day to day work. I can definitely say working here has helped me be/keep more organized in my home and work life, my people skills have also improved and continue to do so with my role in the company. Caleb is a pretty awesome boss to work for and I’ve always felt like he actually cares about his employees well being, not just their work. 

Brandon Meyer, Welder/Fabricator at C4

When I first started at C4 the shop was TINY, I think it was even smaller than just the Research and Development area in the current shop. There were about 4 welders total, including Caleb. Working side by side with Caleb really fueled my need for perfection, because not only am I a perfectionist, but so is Caleb. He kept the shop super clean and organized compared to most welding shops, which I really appreciated. I’ve developed a good friendship with him through the years too, and he has also gotten a lot better at being friends with his employees aside from just our boss. Back in the day he was all work and no play - now he lets me come out to his property with my SXS and tear it up. He also has helped me and my friends out with a lot of stuff and allows us to use the shop for personal projects as well. Watching C4 grow from that small off-road shop, to this large manufacturing company now has been so crazy to watch. Our quality of work has always stayed the same, but our processes and organization has gotten significantly better. I’m proud to work at C4 and would never want to work anywhere else in the area.